Procurement Demand Capturing

Abstract

Dynamic routing of a procurement request from a single point of entry to a downstream repository is provided based on intelligence data analytics at the point of entry. The point of entry functions as a front end to receive, process, and route all procurement requests, with the back end to support the routed request. Request information is entered at the front end, with the single point of entry processing the request through appropriate channels in the procurement process.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 submitting a procurement based request to a single point of entry in the procurement process, wherein the request is a business artifact;   capturing the request and searching the captured request, including soliciting a topic of the request;   transforming the captured request into a new business artifact;   searching the new business artifact against two or more repositories downstream from the point of entry; and   dynamically routing the request to an appropriate downstream location associated with the new artifact, including mapping the request to the downstream location, wherein the request flows through an appropriate channel in the procurement process from the point of entry.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a dashboard for enabling visibility and tracking of the request through the procurement process, wherein the visibility includes a status of the request within the procurement process. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the routing of the request to a downstream location includes routing the request to a specific service provider associated with the procurement request. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the soliciting of the topic includes distinguishing one or more keywords from the captured request and using the one or more keywords as a basis for routing the request to the downstream location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the business artifact is associated with an aspect of the procurement. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the business artifact is selected from the group consisting of: a request for proposal and a supplier contract. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product to support dynamic routing of a business artifact to a procurement representative, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to:
 receive a procurement based request at a single point of entry in the procurement process, wherein the request is a business artifact;   capture and search the request, including solicitation of a topic of the request;   transform the captured request into a new business artifact;   search the new business artifact against two or more repositories downstream from the point of entry; and   dynamically route the request to an appropriate downstream location associated with the new artifact, including mapping the request to the downstream location, wherein the request flows through an appropriate channel in the procurement process from the point of entry.   
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , further comprising program code to track the request through the procurement process. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , further comprising program code to enable visibility of the tracked request through the procurement process, wherein the visibility includes a status of the request within the procurement process. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the route of the request to a downstream location includes receipt of the request by a specific service provider associated with the procurement request. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the program code to solicit the topic includes distinguishing one or more keywords from the captured request and using the one or more keywords as a basis to route the request to the downstream location. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program code of  claim 7 , wherein the business artifact is associated with an aspect of the procurement. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program code of  claim 12 , wherein the business artifact is selected from the group consisting of: a request for proposal and a supplier contract. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a processing unit in communication with memory;   one or more tools in communication with the memory, the tools to dynamically route of a business artifact to a procurement representative, the tools comprising:
 an entry manager in communication with a single point of entry in an associated procurements system, the entry manager to receive a procurement request, wherein the received request is a business artifact; 
 the entry manager to capture the request and search the captured request, the search including solicitation of a topic of the request; 
 the entry manager to transform the captured request into a new business artifact; 
 an engine in communication with the entry manager, the engine to search the new business artifact against two or more repositories downstream from the point of entry; and 
 a route manager to dynamically route the request to an appropriate downstream location associated with the new artifact, including mapping the request to the downstream location, wherein the request flows through an appropriate channel in the procurement process from the point of entry. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a dashboard display in communication with the route manager, the dashboard display to enable visibility and tracking of the request through the procurement process, wherein the visibility includes a status of the request within the procurement process. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the downstream location includes a specific service provider associated with the procurement request. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the solicitation of the topic includes distinguishing one or more keywords from the captured request and using the one or more keywords as a basis to route the request to the downstream location. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the business artifact is associated with an aspect of the procurement. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the business artifact is selected from the group consisting of: a request for proposal and a supplier contract.